Xerox makes double swoop for Altodigital and ITEC Connect

Xerox might have paused its attempt to acquire HP because of the Covid-19 coronavirus, but it is continuing to pick up service providers in the UK.

The vendor has made a double swoop acquisition of Altodigital and ITEC Connect to add even more depth to its managed services coverage across the country.

These latest deals comes just two months after the vendor picked up Wakefield-based Arena Group in January, as it indicated it was starting to roll out a strategy it had been following in the US to acquire channel players to increase its support for the small to medium-sized enterprises (SME) customer base.

Before the start of 2020, it had been several years since this level of activity had been seen by Xerox in acquiring resellers. In 2011, the print player snapped up NewField IT to add more depth to its managed print services, as well as SME specialist Concept Group, but it then turned its gaze more towards the US and mainland Europe.

“We’re supporting small and mid-size businesses seeking a modern work experience through two acquisitions in the UK,” said Xavier Heiss, executive vice-president and president of Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Operations at Xerox.

“Altodigital and ITEC are both leaders in managed print services and specialists in IT services, an area into which Xerox is rapidly expanding with new offerings,” he added.

Altodigital provides Xerox with significant coverage of the UK with a series of offices employing 450 staff, serving a customer base of more than 8,000 clients. ITEC is also a significant operator in the managed print services space, with a 30-year history and offices across the country.

The terms of the deal were not disclosed and leaders from both operations voiced their belief that the decision to sell would benefit their businesses in the long-run.

“Altodigital is joining Xerox on its incredible journey as it undergoes a digital-first transformation and invests in customer-focused innovation,” said James Abrahart, CEO and owner of Altodigital. “We share Xerox’s vision to broaden the range of services and technologies available to SMEs requiring a modern work experience.”

“Our ambition is to deliver the latest innovation and technology to help businesses work smarter,” said Nick Orme, CEO of ITEC Connect. “Together with Xerox, we’re in a prime position to offer workplace solutions that evolve and support SMEs as they seek growth.”

Xerox revealed just shy of two weeks ago that, with everything going on with Covid-19, its ongoing attempts to takeover HP would be paused.

“In light of the escalating Covid-19 pandemic, Xerox needs to prioritise the health and safety of its employees, customers, partners and affiliates over and above all other considerations, including its proposal to acquire HP,” said John Visentin, Xerox’s vice-chairman and CEO.

“As we closely monitor reports from government and healthcare leaders across the globe and work with colleagues in the business community to minimise the spread and impact of the virus, we believe it is prudent to postpone releases of additional presentations, interviews with media and meetings with HP shareholders so we can focus our time and resources on protecting Xerox’s various stakeholders from the pandemic,” he added.